Brimbank City Council launches Swim Teacher Employment Pathway

August 17, 2021

Aquatics / Education /

In response to a lack of qualified swim teachers across the Aquatics Industry, Brimbank City Council is launching its new Swim Teacher Employment Pathway (STEP).

Developing the STEP program, in cross-collaboration with other areas of Council, provides the opportunity to create an employment pathway within the community, while also addressing the industry wide problem of insufficient swim teachers.

STEP is a program that:

Helps you to become a qualified swim teacher
Provides the relevant qualifications
Offers training and assessment
Offers a casual employment as a swim teacher with Brimbank City Council

The introduction of the program alleviates the financial burden to become a qualified swim educator and will assist to meet the demand for swimming lessons at Sunshine Leisure Centre, which is currently recruiting five to six swim teachers every school term to service the growing number of enrolled swim students.

Brimbank Mayor Ranka Rasic notes “Council’s new STEP program is an employment pathway right here in our Brimbank neighbourhood, creating qualified people to fill jobs, assisting in our COVID-19 recovery.

“The program will allow us to increase the amount of qualified swim teachers, by offering training and assessment, which will also increase the amount of children able to access swim education classes. “

Brimbank City Council advises that the role of a swim teacher is great for people who need flexibility, such as parents returning to the workforce or people looking for hours that fit around caring responsibilities. The STEP program is suited to people who are currently unemployed, looking for first employment or considering a change in career.

Sunshine Leisure Centre is hoping to increase the number of swimming teachers from a range of cultural backgrounds represented in Brimbank, to create a more familiar, culturally safe and inclusive experience for all Brimbank families.

Brimbank Mayor Rasic adds “I encourage everyone who’s interested in a swim educator career pathway to apply, including people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people of diverse sexual orientation and gender, people of varied age, ability and faith and people of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander background.”

Expressions of interest are now open for the first intake in September. Future intakes will run concurrently with the school term, every three months. For more information and to apply, please visit leisurecentres.brimbank.vic.gov.au/aquatics/brimbank-s-t-e-p-program.

Image: Brimbank Leisure Centre's Aquatics team recently secured the Life Saving Victoria Swim and Survive Partner of the Year Award. This award recognises commitment to delivering the Royal Life Saving Swim and Survive Program, and the licensee's dedication to providing water safety to the community. Courtesy Sunshine Leisure Centre.

2nd August 2021 - New Brimbank facility to be Australia’s first zero emissions aquatic centre

11th June 2021 - National Aquatic Industry Committee advises on conditions for swim teachers, lifeguards and instructors affected by Victoria’s lockdowns

18th May 2021 - Royal Life Saving highlights lifeguard and swim teacher shortage as providing opportunities for job seekers

13th April 2021 - Union says swim teachers set up and pack up is paid work

8th April 2021 - Swim Australia shares resources to aid swim teacher recruitment

18th March 2021 - Drastic shortage of swim teachers puts young Australians at risk

4th March 2021 - Life Saving Victoria announces more benefits for swim teachers

22nd February 2021 - Brimbank’s Sunshine Leisure Centre achieves Life Saving Victoria Platinum Pool accreditation

13th January 2021 - Brimbank Leisure Centres’ updated ‘Swim and Survive’ program caters for up to 1000 new students

7th August 2020 - Brimbank secures funding for environmental and sustainability projects

4th May 2020 - Brimbank Council’s leisure centre staff maintain parks during Coronavirus crisis

28th April 2020 - Brimbank plans for additional indoor sports facilities

24th February 2020 - Final plans revealed for Brimbank’s health and wellbeing hub

21st February 2020 - Brimbank Council and Life Saving Victoria partner to improve water safety education

23rd November 2018 - Sport participation to benefit from planned lighting upgrades at sportsgrounds in Brimbank

31st October 2018 - Brimbank Leisure Centres introduce Evolt 360 body scanner for health and fitness assessments

8th February 2018 - Innovative playspace refurbishment more than doubles visits at Melbourne’s Brimbank Park

15th July 2016 - City of Brimbank installs innovative The EDGE climbing feature

15th April 2015 - Brimbank Park welcome day marks commencement of Nature Play Week

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.